Sassanian helmet

[etruschi]

This photo is depicting a parade of Sassanian warriors which was held in Iran.
Is there evidence of Sassanian warriors ever using this peculiar type of helmet?
Is there a book in which this helmet is mentioned or depicted?
I don't know if there's a depiction of this helmet in the Montvert book 'Sassanian armies'. If so, can anyone scan the depiction for me please?
Thanks
Philip

[Gregg]

I believe these helmets are based on a warrior depicted on a 6th century silver dish. I don’t believe there is any archeological evidence for any such helmet. In fact, as far as Sassanian helmets go, there’s often a considerable disconnect between surviving artistic depictions and archeological examples. But hey, look at the bright side. The Arsacid dynasty lasted for what, 450 years? And there isn’t a SINGLE Parthian helmet in the entire archeological record.

[sonic]

This photo is depicting a parade of Sassanian warriors which was held in Iran.
Is there evidence of Sassanian warriors ever using this peculiar type of helmet?
Is there a book in which this helmet is mentioned or depicted?
I don't know if there's a depiction of this helmet in the Montvert book 'Sassanian armies'. If so, can anyone scan the depiction for me please?
Thanks
Philip

I've been looking for photos of that parade for ages!

Can I ask where you got it from?

[hoplite14gr]

The 70s "2000 years of Persian civilization" that was done by the Sach of Iran. Does anybody knows where to download this thing?

Kind regards

[MeinPanzer]

Those cavalrymen are quite clearly reconstructed from a gilded silver plate from Kulagysh in Sassanian Khurasan. Nicolle in Sassanian Armies said that some parallels for the headgear could be found in 9th and 10th c. ceramics from Islamic Khurasan, but he also speculated that the shape could be symbolic.

Strangely enough, the depiction is of two infantrymen, identically armoured, fighting against each other, one with bow and the other with spear. However, it looks like the reconstructionists reached the torso and just kind of gave up- the helmets and coifs match the figures on the bowl quite closely, but whereas they wear knee-length cuirasses made of rows of rectangular plates, the men from the parade wear what look like knee-length leather jerkins with some round metal plates sewn on.

[etruschi]

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/sh ... p?t=126850

Click this link for photos of the parade.
The difference in the torso armour between the figures on the bowl and in the parade may have to do with costs. I can imagine that constructing full lamellar armor (as depicted on the bowl) for all these guys would have been a costly affaire.
The photos on the link also show some Parthians.
Greetings
Philip

[Roxofarnes]

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/sho...p?t=126850

Click this link for photos of the parade.
The difference in the torso armour between the figures on the bowl and in the parade may have to do with costs. I can imagine that constructing full lamellar armor (as depicted on the bowl) for all these guys would have been a costly affaire.
The photos on the link also show some Parthians.
Greetings
Philip

It must have been a charming show this parade...

But seriously te plate was attributed as Sogdian still in 70's by Russian scholars

[Gäiten]

The illustration in Nicholle`s book (page 59) shows that warrior`s cheek guards are folded up. An interesting idea due the helmet`s construction. So it might have been of known conical Spangenhelmet construction.

[Roxofarnes]

The illustration in Nicholle`s book (page 59) shows that warrior`s cheek guards are folded up. An interesting idea due the helmet`s construction. So it might have been of known conical Spangenhelmet construction.

Convincing in a way - Sogdian helmets of 7th and 8th centuries were of conical construction and had cheekpieces (as shown on murals in Afrasiab or Penjikent). If you however took a closer look at the dish itself the lines are not horizontal but triangular-vertical, which may relate them to some depictions of helmet decorations in art of China (nowadays China doesn't always mean the artefacts come from Chinese/Han culture) and also other Sogdian pieces (please note for instance the onager-ears decorated helmets or the headgear of besiegers' "commander"on Anikovskoe plate), and even more to Buddhist diadems with large triangular panels known in Chinese pre-Tang and Central Asian iconography. The scene seems to be most likely of sacred or mythological character therefore these helmets sould not be treated in purely "realistic" or "naturalistic" sense. They are to say something important about their wearers. One portable Buddhist altar comes especially to my mind whenever I think about the duel scene on said plate - there are some Buddhist personages armed and armored shown there, but they wear characteristic diadems. The altar seems slightly later than the Kulagysh dish. And Nicolle was absolutely right to emphasize the relations to some Iranian post - Sasanian or rather pre-Seljuk art however my guess would be that original decorative Central Asian items developed into different directions: wings, onager ears, triangular panels and horns. I would not exclude the influence of Sasanian crowns depictions of which were spread over the entire Asia on coins.
Eventually I do not believe that these could had been rised cheek pieces as the right position of cheekpieces in combat is on cheeks and stabilizing the helmet. I would supplement it with even more ridiculous supposition made by Raspopova that these elements were of practicla value and did not allow the blows to slide on shoulders Yeah - great success let's place the whole energy inside the scull...

[Gäiten]

Interesting.
Given the adorning headgear Iranian warriors were to put on their helmets I wonder if that could have been something like that (maybe representing the sun?).

I remember the winged helmet in Osprey`s “Sassanian Elite Cavalry” for an Asavaran of the Pushtighban Royal Guards and the (ceremonial) helmgear of the noblemen shown in the relief of Shapur I triumph in Bishapur.
The idea of helmets with horns I think is especially interesting.

I would supplement it with even more ridiculous supposition made by Raspopova that these elements were of practical value and did not allow the blows to slide on shoulders Yeah - great success let's place the whole energy inside the scull...

That might have been the reason why no helmet of that type did survive

[Roxofarnes]

Interesting.
Given the adorning headgear Iranian warriors were to put on their helmets I wonder if that could have been something like that (maybe representing the sun?).

I remember the winged helmet in Osprey`s “Sassanian Elite Cavalry” for an Asavaran of the Pushtighban Royal Guards and the (ceremonial) helmgear of the noblemen shown in the relief of Shapur I triumph in Bishapur.
The idea of helmets with horns I think is especially interesting.

I would supplement it with even more ridiculous supposition made by Raspopova that these elements were of practical value and did not allow the blows to slide on shoulders Yeah - great success let's place the whole energy inside the scull...

That might have been the reason why no helmet of that type did survive

The illustrations of Kaveh's work are not the best part of it...

[Gäiten]

Agreed, however, they are very informative.

[Roxofarnes]

Agreed, however, they are very informative.

Hmm... I do not feel comfortable criticizing any aspect of this work however the truth is that the illustrations there are anything but good. They are simply poor and often incorrect.

[Gäiten]

I see the displayed contemporary Romans as very incorrect, but the Sassanians too?
Especially the costumes are interesting. Where do you see the mistakes?

[elendir]

Hi,
regarding the existence of ram horned helmets, I wonder whether they were pertinent to royalty only or a more common feature among nobility.
I would really appreciate your help about other possible references.

To the above posters, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. It's not very easy to find material about the ancient Sassanian military
)